Blogito ergo sum! Actually, as N.T. Wright averred, "'Amor, ergo sum:' I am loved, therefore I am." Among other things, I am a Roman Catholic deacon. This is a public cyberspace in which I seek to foster Christian discipleship in the late modern milieu in the diakonia of koinonia and in the recognition that "the Eucharist is the only place of resistance to annihilation of the human subject."

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Friday, December 15, 2006

Is the Universal Indult Imminent?

It has been rumored for some time that His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has had in the works a motu proprio granting a universal indult which would allow priests to celebrate mass in Latin according to the missal of 1962. Depending on who you listen to, this papal fiat is either expected any time soon, or will never be granted. On the side of any time soon, Wednesday, 12 December, Cardinal Medina Estevez, who serves on the Eccelsia Dei commission, which is charged with healing the schism between the Church and the so-called Lefebvrists, known more formally as the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), was quoted on the Italian News agency ANSA discussing when the indult can be expected. I owe this translation to a certain "tired Parish Priest of Adur Valley in Sussex," England:

"Vatican City, 12 December. 'The publication of the Pope's Motu Proprio which will liberalize the celebration of Mass in Latin according to the Missal of Saint Pius V is near.' Thus affirmed Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez, member of the Commission Ecclesia Dei which met this morning to discuss the liberalization of the Latin Mass. 'We calmly studied the document', the Cardinal said,. 'We discussed it for more than 4 hours, and made certain corrections to the text of the Motu Proprio' The next move is up to Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos (president of the Commission), who will present the text to Benedict XVI. Perhaps, added Medina, there will be another meeting of the Commission Ecclesia Dei. Another member of the body, Cardinal Jean Pierre Ricard of Lyons [sic; he's from Bordeaux and has strong opinions re the old rite], did not want to make any comment, underlining that he 'was bound by the pontifical secret'."According to this same tired Parish Priest and his source, "Fr Zuhlsdorf", the story was withdrawn by ANSA not long after it was posted. So, it seems that there is some hesitation, given the expressed opposition of the world's bishops, especially the French bishops in whose country SSPX primarily exists, who now must give their permission for the Latin Rite to be celebrated according the missal of 1962 within their dioceses, to a universal indult. Another explanation is that, given the Holy Father's mode of governance, he wants no prelude to the announcement of what he does of his own accord, which is what motu proprio means. The granting of the universal indult would be part two of my proposed three part Benedictine reform of the reform. The first reform was accomplished by ordering that all future translations of the Missale Romanae will correctly translate pro multis as for many, instead of the current and incorrect for all. The final reform would be to turn the priest back away from the congregation.

It is a sign about how strongly Pope Benedict XVI feels about the need to reform the liturgy by aligning it more closely with the ancient ritus Romanus that he is seriously considering granting a universal indult over the opposition of so many bishops, given that he wants to govern the Church in a more collegial manner.

The big issue with the ritus Romanus is finding priests with enough ability in Latin as well as familiarity with the 1962 Missal and its rubrics. I do think celebrating Mass according to the missal of Pius V would be a possibility at the Cathedral.

I suppose it would be easy enough to use to the existing altar, but a better solution would be to use either the Blessed Mary or St. Joseph altars, located in the front of the East and West transcepts. The problem with the main altar is that the priest would be facing the screen and the chairs, including the cathedra.

I imagine if the indult is granted, we would have priests in the diocese able and willing to celebrate Mass according to the 1962 missal, whether such masses would take place in our lovely Madeleine would depend, to a very large degree, on who our next bishop is and what his attitude is toward doing this. I have to say, most bishops vehemently oppose the universal indult. That is why the motu proprio, in my opinion, has not been issued.

The altars are still there in the chapels and in the transcepts. The old altars are very narrow and face the wall. With the exception of the two altars in the transcepts(i.e., Guadalupé and Good Shepherd) all the altars are marble. Also, the main altar still exists against the front of the apse.

About Me

I am husband and Dad to six lovely children. I am also a Roman Catholic deacon of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. I married in 1993, became a Dad for the first time in 1994 and most recently in 2011 (quite a spread). I was was ordained in 2004. After serving for 11 years at The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, I am now assigned to St Olaf's Parish in Bountiful, Utah. I am a graduate of the University of Utah and the Institute in Pastoral Ministry at St. Mary's University of Minnesota.

Madeleine Delbrêl

"We fashion the immortal being we are through our choices. Through our choices we bring the man in us to the fullness of life or to the worst of human suffering. At the hour of his death each human being has become either a person who will live with God forever, or who will be without God forever" Madeleine Delbrêl

St. Paul

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:1-2)

Two men I greatly admire

BXVI w/ Abp Rowan

C.S. Lewis

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one'” Lewis